Face-muff.



the inside of the BENJAMIN F. SHIBE, OF

BALA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FACE-MUFIF.

SPEGIFI ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,196, dated Tune 19, 1900.

Application filed February 24, 1900. Serial No. 6,341. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. SHIBE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bala, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Nose and Mouth Guards for Foot-Ball Players, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a combined nose and mouth guard for foot-ball players; and the object of myimprovement is to construct a comparativelysmall and comfortable guard that will be a complete protection to the nose and mouth and at the same time allow the player to breathe easily and naturally through the nose or the mouth, or both, as may be most desirable. To accomplish the desired result, I construct the guard of stiff leather, paper, or any suitable material and of such a "size and shape that it'will fit over the nose and mouth and extend from the forehead to the chin, touching only upon these parts of the face. Where the guard touches the forehead and chin it is provided with suitable cushions that will reduce the force of any blow and also aid in keeping the guard in place upon the face of the player.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows my improved guard provided with a head-harness and adjusted upon the head of a player. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the middle of the guard. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the guard, the head-harness being removed therefrom.

A represents my improved face-guard made in a single piece that extends from the forehead to the chin and of any suitable material that has the required strength and rigidity.

a is a concavo-convex portion fitting over the nose and having thereon the flaring edge portions a a, turned over and outwardly so as to present a smooth surface to the face.

b is a cup-like chin-rest fitting over and well under the chin and provided with the two side or wing portions 1) b, that extend on each side of the chin.

B is a pneumatic ring-cushion secured on guard where it rests against the forehead.

O is a pneumatic ring-cushion secured on the insideof the chin-rest in the position shown in Fig. 2. When the guard is adj usted upon the face, the point or extremity of the chin will extend into or through this ringcushion, so that the pressure or force of any blow upon the guard will not come directly upon the chin extremity, but will be received and resisted by the other parts of the chin.

c d e are elastic straps fastened to the guard in the positions shown, thus forming a harness that will secure the guard firmly on the head of the player. The concave-convex portion a, fitting over the nose, is made amply large, so that it will not touch that organ, and the edges a a are turned outwardly, so that under no circumstances can any sharp edges come in contact with the face. The part of the guard immediately in front of the mouth is made to project outwardly in the manner shown, so as to leave ample room for breathing through the month, if it is desirable or necessary to do so. The cup-like chin-rest 1) extending some distance under the chin and being provided with the side or Wing portions 7) b, the guard cannot be forced either upwardly or sidewise, and as the chin extends into or through the ring cushion C it cannot go in a downward direction, and will thus be securely held from moving unless some portion of the head-harness should get broken.

I have shown and described the cushions I3 and O as pneumatic rings; but they may be made of felt or any suitable material and formed in several pieces, if desired; but the parts of the cushion 0 inside of the chin-rest should be made such a shape that the extreme point of the chin is relieved from all pressure. I Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is v 1. A combined nose and mouth guard made of a single narrow piece of stiff material and provided with a suitable head-harness, the said guard extending from the forehead to the chin, and the top portion being provided with a suitable cushion to protect the forehead, the middle or central portion having therein a suitable cavity for the nose, and the lower part provided with a cup-like cavity fitting around and under the chin and extending on both sides thereof, substantially as shown and described.

2. A combined nose and mouth guard having attached thereto a suitable head-harness, and made from a single narrow piece of stiff material that extends from the chin to the forehead,the top of said guard being provided with a suitable cushion that rests against the forehead, the middle or central portion having therein the eoncavo-convex portion that fits over the nose, and the bottom portion made with the cup-like chin-rest b, that extends under the chin and has thereon the side or wing portions 19' b, and provided with a ring-like cushion adapted to receive the chin, substantially as shown.

3. The combined nose and mouth guard A,

BENJAMIN F. SI-IIBE.

Witnesses:

THOS. D. MOWLDS, SAML. H. KIRKPATRICK. 

